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Akira Jacobs

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Akira Jacobs
Jacobs with the Yokohama B-Corsairs in 2022
No. 34 – Hawaii Rainbow Warriors
PositionForward
LeagueBig West Conference
Personal information
Born (2004-04-13) April 13, 2004 (age 20)
Yokohama, Japan
Listed height6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight205 lb (93 kg)
Career information
High school
CollegeHawaii (2023–present)
Playing career2021–present
Career history
2021–2022Yokohama B-Corsairs
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing  Japan
FIBA Asia Under-18 Championship
Silver medal – second place 2022 Iran Japan

Tajon Akira Jacobs (Japanese: ジェイコブス 晶, born April 13, 2004) is a Japanese basketball player for the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors of the Big West Conference. He is a member of the Japanese men's basketball team at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Early life

Jacobs was born in Yokohama, Japan,[1] to a Japanese mother and an American father who was serving in the military.[2] He moved with his family to Southern California a few months after he was born.[2] Jacobs started playing basketball at the age of four because his mother was a fan and gave him basketball merchandise.[3] He played on the basketball teams when he attended Redondo Union High School and Dymally High School in California.[4]

Jacobs regularly visited Japan on trips as a child.[2] While on a trip there when he was aged 16, he decided to stay so he could explore new opportunities.[3]

Basketball career

Early career (2021–2023)

Jacobs joined the under-18 team of the Yokohama B-Corsairs for the 2021–22 season.[3] He was promoted to the senior professional team as a special designated player and became the youngest player to appear in a first division B.League game when he debuted for the B-Corsairs on November 13, 2021, at the age of 17 years and 7 months.[3] On February 3, 2022, he scored his first points as the youngest player in B.League history to score in a game.[3]

Jacobs appeared at the Basketball Without Borders Asia camp in 2022 and earned the Patrick Baumann Sportsmanship Award.[5] On September 30, 2022, Jacobs joined the NBA Global Academy, a basketball training program at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.[5] He was the first Japanese prospect to join an NBA Academy on a full-time basis.[5]

College career (2023–present)

On July 14, 2023, the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors announced that they had signed Jacobs to become the first Japanese player to join the program.[4] Jacobs chose to play for the Rainbow Warriors because of Hawaii's links to Japanese culture and its closeness to both Japan and California.[6] He averaged 2.4 points in 28 games during his freshman season.[7]

National team career

Jacobs was a member of the under-18 Japanese men's national team that won the silver medal at the 2022 FIBA U18 Asian Championship;[5] he was injured during the second game and missed the rest of the tournament.[2] He played for the under-19 team at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup and averaged 17 points per game.[4] Jacobs was included on the extended training camp roster for the Japan senior national team at the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup.[2]

Jacobs was invited to Japan's basketball training camp for the 2024 Paris Olympics and named to their final roster.[7]

Personal life

Jacobs holds dual Japanese and American citizenship.[8]

References

  1. ^ "UH's Jacobs, Raimo headed to 2024 Summer Olympics". University of Hawai'i News. July 8, 2024. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Jacobs hungry to finally show his potential for Japan". FIBA. June 26, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e "Akira Jacobs: Youngest ever to play, score in B.League set to star for Japan". FIBA. August 23, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c "Men's Basketball Signs Talent Out Of Japan". University of Hawai'i at Manoa. July 14, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d "Japan's Akira Jacobs joins NBA Global Academy". NBA. September 30, 2022. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  6. ^ Chung, Eujin (October 27, 2023). "10 questions with new Rainbow Warrior Akira Jacobs". Manoa Now. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  7. ^ a b McInnis, Brian (July 8, 2024). "Hawaii basketball forward Akira Jacobs named to Japan's Olympic roster". Spectrum News. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  8. ^ "Hawaii basketball team reels in wing from Japan". Honolulu Star-Advertiser. May 18, 2023. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
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